About: Ted

Gonzalez earns another BFO victory, this time in northern California FORTUNA, Calif. – While his ancestors enjoyed bullfighting with a cape and an olè, Andrès “Sasquatch” Gonzalez loves what he’s able to do during the American version of freestyle bullfighting through Bullfighters Only. The proof has come often this season, with the latest version happening last Friday night at the BFO Sequoia Cup in Fortuna. In his first time competing among the Redwood trees and the rowdy fans that Fortuna is known for, he walked away as the event champion. “This was a big win for me, because overall, I think it’s great having a California guy winning an event like this,” said Gonzalez, who pocketed $6,000 and carried a specially made wooden trophy back home to Woodland, California. “I feel like it’s one of the bigger events, and it was an awesome experience.” He was one of five men to advance to the Hooey Championship Round, where he posted 87.5 points to share the top score with newcomer Chance Pruitt. Gonzalez earned the title through the tie-breaker by having a higher bullfighter score – the total points are based on a 100-point scale, with half the score coming from the animal and half from how well the man controlled the fight. The Californian earned the title by a mere half point. “You don’t see too many Hispanics on the rodeo side of things, especially in freestyle bullfighting,” he said. “This is the kind of show that I like to do. When anybody dedicates themselves, they can do whatever they want. “I feel like I was born to be a freestyle bullfighter; it’s in my blood. I thank God it was a gift He gave me.” It was also an experience for the whopping crowd in the northern California community of 12,000 people, but it’s something they’ve grown to love thanks in large part to the organizers. The BFO has been a big part of the celebration in Fortuna for three years. “For us to bring the BFO gang up here is a big deal for this part of the country,” said Shannon McWhorter, president of the Fortuna Rodeo Association. “They’ve stepped up their game every year, from the first year where we just set up some panels and threw some things together until now, where it’s a full-blown BFO event like you’d see in Las Vegas. “We pack the people in here, and fans leave this thing saying they can’t wait until next year. These guys are just like us, and a lot of these guys are from rural backgrounds. They come in here and just make us look good. We’re just a group of 20 guys that put on a weeklong festival, and the biggest part of the festival is the BFO.” That’s saying something in just three short years, but it’s become a trend with the rapidly growing BFO, which got its start in 2015 and had its first full season a year later. It’s now the most extreme sport in the country, with all the prestige and production necessary to help draw fans to the dangerous game of chance. Evidence of that came in the final round when the two-time bull of the year, Manuel Costa’s Sid Vicious, was matched with the Calgary, Alberta’s Aaron Mercer, the No. 2 man in the BFO Pendleton Whisky World Standings. As the bullfighter started his bout with his patented “Mercy Roll,” Sid Vicious added a bump and caused him to over rotate. Mercer righted himself, only to be thrown high into the air just six seconds into the bout. In all, Mercer was knocked around at least eight times, with Sid Vicious ripping off his jersey and protective vest in the process. But the Canadian finished the bout. “I went into that fight with a different mindset,” he said. “I wasn’t as worked up as I normally would have been. I heard I had Sid Vicious in the short round. You hear that name, and you’re going to get a little more nervous. I’m just glad I was able to finish the fight. “The crowd was massive, and the stands were full and people were standing around. They crave bullfighting there. People love it in Fortuna, and we love putting on a show for them. I think that’s what makes Fortuna one of our better events.” Pruitt was competing at just his second BFO event, just a few weeks removed from the Southern Classic in Gainesville, Georgia. He quickly realized there was a different energy in the stands among the giant Redwoods. “It was a really cool setting,” said Pruitt, 18, of Jasper, Arkansas. “For us to drive there was awesome, to see the Redwoods and then to get there and see the arena. The backside was pretty far up, and it was full of people. The crowd was really into it.” His second-place finish also proved why the BFO invited him to compete amongst the top athletes in the freestyle bullfighting game. Not only are the top bullfighters in the BFO, but so are the rising stars and there are still plenty of opportunities ahead to earn a bid for the Las Vegas Championships, set for Dec. 5-14 at the Tropicana Las Vegas. “With this win, I think I moved to No. 5 in the world,” Gonzalez said. “I’m going for the No. 1 spot, and hopefully I can work my way to be the world champ. For me being the only Hispanic on tour, it means a lot to me to do well. “Being able to be part of the BFO is the biggest thing for my career. These were my idols, and now being able to compete against these guys is a dream come true. This is a goal of my life. Last  year, I was in two events, and I won them both, and now I’m being part of the whole tour is incredible for me.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Eight years ago, the Lea County Fair Board stepped out onto a limb and decided to add the Lea County Xtreme Bulls to the Tuesday night schedule. The gamble seems to have paid off, with this year’s event set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, at Jake McClure Arena in Lovington. “It’s a big deal here,” said Trey Kerby, chairman of the fair board’s rodeo committee. “We have a lot of people talking about it and getting ready for it.” What is it about the event that draws people from the rodeo-savvy region? “I guess it’s just the excitement of bull riding,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “When they started it, I didn’t know if it would go over or not, but it has done well. A lot of people are fascinated with bull riding.” Fans’ reactions to the event has been that way for decades, which is why it’s always been held for last at most rodeos. About 30 years ago, more specialized events focusing on bull riding started to happen, and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association developed the Xtreme Bulls Tour in the mid-2000s. “There are only a few of the top-notch events that I haven’t had the pleasure of winning, and Lovington Xtreme was one of them,” said Sage Kimzey, the reigning five-time world champion bull rider and the 2017 winner in Lovington. “Coming out to Lea County, I had one thing on my mind.” Kimzey is one of a few former world champions who are expected to be in Lovington this August, and there will be dozens of cowboys in the field that have competed at the National Finals Rodeo. That includes last year’s winner, Jordan Spears, who just missed qualifying for the NFR. “A win’s important any time, and it doesn’t matter what time of year,” he said. “Over the years, I seem to draw good bulls, and I seem to ride good. It feels good to get a win at a big Xtreme Bulls event like this.” This is the big time as far as bull riding goes. Lea County Xtreme Bulls has been a Division I event since its inception – only eight of the 55 events on the Xtreme Bulls schedule are at that level. That’s for a reason. The Division I events offer a larger purse, and that’s just fine with the Lea County Fair Board. Board members realize that in order to produce a good event on Tuesday night of the fair and rodeo, they want to have the elite bull riders in southeast New Mexico for the night. In fact, the fair board has set up its entertainment lineup with that theory in mind. The board believes Flatland Cavalry, an up-and-coming group that will attract a younger audience, is the perfect mix for that Tuesday night. But, Kerby said, the key is also having all those cowboys back through the rest of the week at the rodeo. “We want the cowboys to come, so we want to have a good purse,” Kerby said. “Xtreme Bulls pulls the crowd in. When they can go out there and enjoy bull riding all night long, they really enjoy it, especially if there’s some good rides and some high scores.”

DODGE CITY, Kan. – When her son was diagnosed with autism, Trista Fergerson didn’t fret about it; she went to work. Fergerson and two other mothers of children on the autism spectrum started gathering together in a makeshift mom support group. It’s grown over the years into what is now known as Perfect Fit Foundation of Southwest Kansas. “Amongst the three of us, we wanted to tell people what autism is,” she said. “Before our kids were diagnosed, we didn’t know anything about it. We put together a 5K race, Run for Autism, to bring awareness.  We just completed our third this past April. In the fall, I started exploring this foundation as a legal entity. We can give donations, and people can donate to us.” It’s continuing to grow, and the donations it receives will go toward great things for people in southwest Kansas. That’s how Dodge City Roundup Rodeo is involved. “What Trista and this foundation are doing already is amazing, and I think there are other ways we can help while growing awareness about special needs,” said Dr. R.C. Trotter, president of the volunteer committee that produces the annual rodeo, set for 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 4, at Roundup Arena. “Our Thursday performance will be Exceptional Rodeo Night, and we are going to have an exceptional rodeo for people with special needs starting at 5:30 that evening.” One of the goals of the foundation is to be a support group for those who have special needs children, to raise awareness for kids and adults with special needs. Fergerson has also begun work with a clinical director about creating a therapy center, since one doesn’t exist in the region. “The foundation will own and operate Perfect Fit Therapy Clinic,” she said. But there’s so much more that the foundation wants to do and has been doing in addition to Run for Autism. “We wanted to put on events for folks with special needs,” Fergerson said. “We have a Special Olympics recognition night at Dodge City sporting events. We hold monthly Special Needs Night at Long Branch Lagoon. We are calling our night at the rodeo exceptional rodeo to follow in the direction of what they do at the NFR.” Every year at the National Finals Rodeo, volunteers, contestants and other rodeo personnel provide people with special needs an event all their own. They can ride horses, rope and enjoy a little cowboy lifestyle while wearing specialized shirts, a hat and a bandana. “Roundup is giving tickets to families of individuals with special needs, that way we can get special needs families to the rodeo,” she said. “That evening, we are going to show a video of the exceptional rodeo and have some information for Boyd (Polhamus) to read about it. “Lopp Motors has donated a kids Jeep Power Wheel, so we are going to have a raffle throughout Dodge City Days to give that way. It’s another source of income for the foundation and fundraising opportunities for us. We will do the drawing after the Sunday night performance right before the buckle presentations.”

EAGLE, Colo. – For most rodeo cowboys, the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo is a terrific spot to enjoy the Rocky Mountains, a beautiful setting and a great rodeo. For Joel Schlegel, it’s home. He lives in Burns in northern Eagle County and has been one of the best bareback riders in the region for a long time. In fact, he’s been considered one of the best in ProRodeo, having finished among the top 50 in the world standings several times in his career. He’s excited to return to this year’s rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 24-Saturday, July 27, at Johnette Phillips Arena on the Eagle County Fairgrounds. He knows why so many others are putting their names in the hat to compete in Eagle this summer. “The committee did up their money this year, which is nice,” Schlegel said. “it’s one of those rodeos that they made a big step a few years ago when they brought in (stock contractor) Pete Carr. That and other things have upped their entries.” That’s true. More than 300 contestants have thrown their names in the hat to compete in Eagle this year. That’s a significant number considering the dozens of other Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events that will take place that week, whether its in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Deadwood, South Dakota; Burwell, Nebraska; or one of the other stops across the country. “That’s a tough weekend to compete for rodeos, so to be able to still draw numbers like that is great for the Eagle rodeo,” Schlegel said. “I think it’s a great rodeo and a great atmosphere. They still pack the fans, and they’ve got great hospitality. “It’s a great place. Pete Carr makes sure he brings up his good horses, and I commend them for trying to up their money and become more well known. The money is what’s going to bring the cowboys to town.” In fact, of the 300-plus contestants who are scheduled to compete, dozens have competed at the National Finals Rodeo and several others have earned the most coveted prizes in the game: world champions’ gold buckles. “It’s a good little spot to go, up there in the mountains and Pete Carr having the stock there,” said Joe Lufkin, a saddle bronc rider from Sallisaw, Oklahoma. “It’s just a good time of year to go. Its nice to go up there and relax a little in Eagle and get on some good horses.” Over the years, the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo has been recognized as one of the best events in the PRCA. It has been nominated as Medium Rodeo of the Year, which features just five finalists each year. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be recognized as such each year. “The contestants like it because after you’ve rodeoed in Pecos, Texas, and Pretty Prairie, Kansas, where it’s 104 degrees and hot and miserable, it’s nice to go to a good rodeo with good stock and be in a nice, cool temperature,” said Justin Rumford, the six-time PRCA Clown of the Year who will work Eagle for the second time. “It’s just kind of a wind-down of the regular rodeo grind.”

LOVINGTON, N.M. – Children that grow up in a rural community are more likely to understand the value of hard work. They may not always enjoy it – nor will they appreciate it – at the time, but the benefits of labor can be seen now and forever. No place is that more evident than the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, set for Friday, Aug. 2-Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Lea County Fairgrounds in Lovington. The show barn and exhibit hall during the annual exposition is where the rewards come. Ribbons help add color and help brighten any day, and the show ring is the perfect place for that record-selling calf or lamb. “I think our livestock shows are a great thing for developing young people, giving them responsibility and teaching them responsibility and how to take care of animals,” said Larry Wheeler, chairman of the Lea County Fair Board. “As they get older, they do more and more. “It teaches them life lessons. It’s not only good for the kids, but it’s good for the families who are involved. They can do it as a family and work together. It’s a tremendous thing for kids.” He should know. Like many in Lea County, Wheeler grew up in the show barn. He first entered it wearing diapers and hasn’t missed a year since. After being the third person in his family to serve as beef superintendent, he took on the biggest role of the entire volunteer organization. But there’s still a great deal of pride for him with what happens inside that barn. He and many others have seen each child’s development, each child’s growth in what they do. In a society where kids learn via the Internet and know how to program a phone before they get out of elementary school, the 4H and FFA projects offer something different to help get minds right. What many miss are the opportunities to learn that come through working with their hands and their minds together. “Our junior livestock sale consistently runs second or third in the state as far as revenue for the kids,” said Dean Jackson, a Lea County commissioner and former fair board chairman. “We have some of the best facilities in all of New Mexico, if not all the Southwest. “Lea County is a great place to live, a great place to work. We’re hard workers, and God has blessed us.” It’s all built up from infancy to maturity, because that’s been the backbone to the successes that happen in southeast New Mexico. Many who volunteer today do so because they realize how important the fair and rodeo is to the community and, most importantly, the children. “I think our 4H and FFA programs are more important than ever today,” Wheeler said. “Our society has gotten away from teaching our children responsibility like they did in the past. I still think it’s very important for kids to learn at a younger age. The 4H and FFA programs are great tools to teach them that.”